Detector device



2 SheetS-Shet 1 E. A. MASTRIANI DETECTOR DEVICE Sept. 19, 1950 Original Filed May 10, 1947 INVENTOR. 56%; Lat/MM E. A. MASTRIANI DETECTOR DEVICE Sept. 19, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed May 10, 1947 I i. 21m -1 was n 1 t I .0 2: m .F M .2

INVENTUR. a; Q. M

Patented Sept. 19,1950

DETECTOR DEVICE Elvin A. Mastriani, Cedar Grove, N. J assignor to The M. W. Kellogg Company, Jersey City, N. J a corporation of Delaware Original application May 10, 1947, Serial No. 747,245. Divided and this application November 27, 1948, Serial No. 62,337 i 3 Claims. 1001. 139-357) The present invention relates to looms, and more particularly to electric warp stop mechanisms therefor. This application is a division of application Serial No. 747,245, filed May 10, 1947.

.The conventional type of electric warp stop mechanism comprises a detector device in the form of parallel detector rods, each including a pair of contact bars insulated from each other and passing through a row of drop wires supported on respective warp threads. drop Wires is adapted to fall and electrically interconnect the contact bars when the corresponding warp thread breaks. ping device controlled by the detector device coma prises a solenoid in the direct circuit of said detector device energized by the release of a drop wire occasioned by the breakage of the ,corresponding warp thread. The energized solenoid through its plunger actuates a member into position to be engaged by the lay during its movement, and thus initiate knock-off action of the loom.

The standard practice is to use a solenoid requiring low current in order to minimize arc ing or sparking between the fallen drop wires and the corresponding contact bars. The solenoid will therefore be of low power, and as a result, will be of delicate construction requiring careful setting and adjustment.

The object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved electric warp stop mechanism.

As a feature of the present invention, the detector bar assembly is comparatively simple in construction, and afiords vertical and angular adjustments with ease.

As another feature, a new and improved detector bar clamp is provided, locked by a cam lock affording ease of operation into and out of locking position.

As another feature, spacer bars for supporting the warp sheet and for separating the various rows or banks of drop wires, are provided secured by means of spring clips, so that these bars may be removed or replaced singly without disturbing the warp.

As another feature, electrical contact to the contact deterctor bars is established by means of spring clips, each of which engages two adjoining bars.

Various other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following particular description, and from an inspection of the accompanying drawings, in Which- Each of the.

A knock-01f or, loom stop,

Fig. l is a broken fragmentary perspective partly. in section of a loom containing an electric warp stop mechanism embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a broken plan viewpartly in horizontal section of the knock-off mechanism embodying the present invention, and shown during normal running operations of the loom;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to that of Fig. 2, but showing the knock-01f mechanism at the instant it is operated, to. shut down the loom upon detection of a broken warp thread;

Fig. 4 is a rear View of the contact bar supporting end of the detector device;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary bottom section of the contact bar supporting end of the detector device;

Fig. 6 is a transverse section of the contact bar supporting end of the detector device taken along the lines 6-6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a transverse section of the contact bar supporting end of the detector device taken along the lines 1-! of Fig. 4; and

Fig.v 8 is a wiring diagram of the electric system of the warp stop mechanism.

Referring to the drawings, the novel mechanisms of the invention may be applied to looms having any of the usual loomsides, but it is preferred to disclose the invention in connection with a loom provided with loomsides II], the right loomside only being shown, each comprising a pair of parallel upstanding frame webs II and I2 rigidly secured together by suitable cross braces, (not shown), A lay l3 secured to swords I 4 (only one being shown) is oscillated back and forth lengthwise of the loom. The swords M are angularly oscillated in any suitable manner in the spaces between the frame webs of corresponding loomsides.

The warp stop mechanism includes a detector device l5 mounted at each end to a bracket 6 supported on a plate I! extending between and secured to frame webs II and I2, as for example, by welding. The detector device It: comprises a series of parallel detectors. i8 of the usual type,

each comprising a pair of contact bars 20 and 2| insulated from each other. Drop wires 22 of the conventional type are arranged along each detector [8. The threads constituting the warp of the fabric pass through the drop wires 22 forwardl toward the lay I3. Each of the threads supports an individual drop wire 22 out of contact with the contact bar 20. When a Warp thread breaks, its wire 22 will fall into contact with the bar '20 and close the circuit between the bars r 3 28 and 2|. This initiates the operation of the knock-off mechanism.

The knock-off mechanism is supported as a unit in a housing 25 comprising a top wall 26, an outer side wall 21, and a front wall 28. The housing 25 is rigidly supported in position between the loo-Inside frame webs H and I2. To that end, a platform 3| is supported on and extends between the upper ends of the loomside frame webs and 2, and is provided with holes 32 (only one being shown) for receiving mounting studs for the housing 25. The top housing wall 26 has a plurality of threaded stud sleeves 33 located to register with respective holes 32 in the platform 3|, and welded or otherwise rigidly secured to said top housing wall. By means of studs (not shown) passing through respective platform holes 32 and threaded into the sleeves 33, mounting of the housing 25 in position and removal thereof can be easily effected.

Secured to the outer housing wall 21, as for example, :by studs (not shown), is a solenoid 35 having a plunger 36 movable in and out as the solenoid coil is energized and deenergized. Extending in the housing 25 in an axial direction substantially parallel to the direction of movement of the solenoid plunger 36 is a rocker shaft 31 supported in bearings 48 and 4| mounted on said housing. One of the bearings 40 in the form of a'block is desirably welded to the housing walls 21 and 28, while the other bearing 4| also in the form of a block, is desirably welded to the top housing wall 26. A collar 42 afiixed to the rocker shaft 31 limits outward slide movement of said shaft.

Splined to the rocker shaft 31 so as to rotate therewith and slide therealong is a knock-off finger or lever 43 urged outwardly along said shaft by a coil spring 44, which is located between the bearing 4| and the hub of the knockoff finger 43.

A link transmission between the solenoid plunger 36 and the knock-off finger 43 comprises a lever yoke 45 having at one end a cleft 46 pivoted to one end of a link 41, whose other end is pivoted to said plunger. The other end of the yoke 45 has a fork 48 straddling the rocker shaft 31 between the hub of the knock-- off finger 43 and a spacer washer bearing against the shaft collar 42. The yoke 45 is pivoted intermediate its ends to a post 5|, rigidly secured to the housing 25 desirably by welding it to the top housing wall 26. A stud 52 threaded into the post 5| pivotally secures the yoke 45 to said post.

For actuating the knock-01f finger 43 by the movement of the lay |3, there is secured directly to one side of the sword l4 a knock-off bunter 55. The sword I4 is shown of channel shape, and the bunter 55 is provided with a recess 56 to receive one of the flanges of the sword and is secured to the sword web, as for example, by means of studs 51.

While the solenoid 35 is deenergized, the lever yoke 45 is in the angular position shown in Fig. 2, so that the knock-off finger 43 is yieldably held by the coil spring 44 in position out of the oscillating path of movement of the bunter 55. Upon the energization of the solenoid 35 resulting from the breakage of a warp thread, the plunger 36 will be moved inwardly into the position shown in Fig. 3, so that the lever yoke 45 will be rotated clockwise about its pivot stud 52. This will cause the knock-off finger 43 to be moved along the rocker shaft 31 against the action of the coil spring 44, until it is in the path of oscillating movement of the knock-off bunter 55. As the lay |3 moves rearwardly, the bunter 55 engaging the knock-01f finger 43 in this position rotates said finger, and thereby causes a corresponding rotation of the rocker shaft 31. This rotation of the rocker shaft 31 is transmitted to the shipper handle (not shown), to shut down the loom. The shutdown is desirably effected without shutting down the motor by merely releasing or disengaging the clutch between the motor and the main crank shaft of the loom.

The transmission between the rocker shaft 31 and the shipper handle is of a non-positive character, and comprises a push rod knock-off lever 68, which is keyed to the part of the rocker shaft 31 projecting from the outer side of the housing 25, and which has a forked end 6| straddling a push rod 62 supported for slide movement in a pair of slide bearings 63 secured to the outer frame web |2. A return spring 65 encircles the push rod 62, and abuts at one end against one of the bearings 63, and bears at the other end against a collar 59, fixed to push rod 62, to urge the forked lever end 6| toward the other bearing 63.

In axial alignment with the push rod 62, and connected to the shipper handle (not shown), is a clutch release rod 61. The rod 61 is provided with a tappet sleeve 68, confronting the operating end of the push rod 62, and adapted to be engaged thereby when the push rod is moved to the left by the rotation of shaft 31 and lever 60, due to the engagement of knock-01f finger 43 and knock-off bunter 55, as shown inFig. 3.

The clutch release rod 61 carries a finger 16 which engages the spring pressed plunger 1| of the switch 12 during normal running operations to maintain the switch normally closed. The finger 18 disengages the plunger 1| to open the switch 12 when the rod 61 moves to the left for clutch release and loom shut-down operations initiated when the warp thread breaks and the corresponding drop wire 22 falls into position to establish contact between the bars 20 and 2|. When switch 12 is in the open position, current cannot flow through the circuits of the warp stop mechanism and all hazards due to live circuits-while the loom is stopped are eliminated.

The electrical arrangements for the warp stop mechanisms are shown in Fig. 8, and while they may be connected to a separate power supply, are conveniently connected to the power lines 88, provided as a current supply for the loom motor, not shown. A step down transformer 8| is connected across lines 88 to step the voltage down from the usual 228 volts to about 8 volts. The lines 82 are connected across the secondary coil of the transformer 8| and supply current to the solenoid 35. Since, as will be apparent, the current for the solenoid 35 does not go through the Warp break detector circuit, the solenoid may be as large, and as powerful, as necessary for the positive operation of its associated elements and as much current as required by the solenoid 35 may be safely passed through lines 82 as such curirent does not feed through the detector circu1 The lower one of the lines 82 is connected to the terminal A of the relay switch 83, while a short line 82' connects the terminal A to the solenoid 35 to complete the solenoid circuit. The

relay switch 83 is of usual design and includes a relay coil 84, that when energized, operates through a plunger to move the switch element 85 from the normalfull. line position to the dotted line position, wherein it electrically connects the terminal A to the terminal A and the terminal Bto theterininal B. A spring not shown, returns the switch element 85 to thef-ull line position when the relay coil .fiiisdeenergized. A short lead con nects the terminal Ato the terminalB, while a second. short lead connects the terminal B tothe relay coil terminal D. A second pair of lines 86, are connected across the secondary. coil of the transformer 8 I. The upper one of lines 86 is connected to one terminal of the switch I2, shown in its closed position, and a short lead 86 connects the other terminal of the switch I2 to the terminal C of the. relay coil 64. The lower one of the lines 86 is connected to the parallel bank of contact bars 2I, the bank of bars 2I being grounded as shown, while a short lead 86" connects the parallel bank of contact bars 26 to the terminal D of the relay coil. Since the relay coil is designed to actuate switch element 65 and its associated plunger, its currentdemand is quite low so that only, a comparatively low current will flow through the warp break detector circuit. The

bank of bars 2| is grounded to prevent an accumulation of current in the normal open circuit operation of the detector circuit.

Upon the breaking of a warp thread, the respective drop wire 22 will fall to close. the gap between its pair of bars 26 and 2I, so that current will flow through lines 86, 66' and 86 to energize the relay coil 84 and move the switch element 85 to the dotted line position. This closes the circuit of the solenoid 35, so that solenoid through its associated elements willmove the knock-off finger 43 along shaft 31 into position to be engaged by the knock-off bunter 55. Since the switch element 85 in the dotted line position closes the gap between the terminals B and B, the terminal D is brought to substantially the same potential as the side of the secondary transformer coil to which the lower one of the lines 36 is connected and, consequently, the relay coil 84 will be energized by current flowing through the lower one of lines 82 and the leads between the terminals A and B and D, while the lower one of the lines 86 and the banks of bars 20 and 2I wil be effectively cut out of the electrical circuits. This results in an uninterrupted energization of the relay coil 84 and the solenoid 35, which cannot be influenced by the movements of the drop wire 22 on its bars 20 and 2I during the interval between the initiation of knock-01f operations and the completion thereof when the punter 55 by engagement with the knock-01f finger 43 rotates the shaft 3'! and the lever 60 to move the clutch release rod 6'! to the left to disengage the clutch between the motor and the main drive shaft (not shown), and. simultaneously to open the switch I2 to the dotted line position.

When the switch I2 is open (the dotted line position) the relay coil 84 and the solenoid 35 are deenergized and no current whatsoever can flow through any of the circuits just described. Said interval may, according to the speed of the loom, amount to as much as one-half a second and in the arrangements of the prior art the hazards due to arcing and sparking because of movement of the drop wire 22 on the live bars 20 and 2| during this interval is of a serious nature. All such hazards are eliminated in the present construction as arcing and sparking cannot take wire 22 is returned to its normal position the,

clutch is again actuated to engage the loom motor to the main drive'shaft and the clutch release rod 67 moves to the right so that the finger 10 again closes the switch 12. As the lay I4 moves away from knock-off position, springs 44 and 65 will. return the parts of the knock-off mechanism. automatically to their normal operatingpositions.

This may take place as the lay is comingto rest after knock-off or when the lay is again started, depending on the timing and the setting of the loom brake according to theweaving conditions.

While the electrical circuits. have. been described above in connection with an A. C. power source, it is obvious that they are not limited to the use of an A. C. source, but with simple, changes, well within the knowledge of the skilled worker in the yard, they can be used equally well with a D. C. current source.

The detector device I5 is mounted for horizontal and vertical adjustment. 1 The bracket I6has a base seated ionthe plate :I! andadjustably secured thereto by means of a bolt (not shown),

passing through saidbase andthrough anelongated slot. 9| in said plate, which permits ad- 1 justment of the detector device along the plate IT.

For vertical adjustment, the bracket I6 hasa. vertically elongated slot 63 receivinga locking bolt 04 passing through a boss .95 at one end of a detector bar holder 96. i

The detectorbar holder 961s of U-shaped cross section, and comprises a base 9'! having a series of parallel grooves 98 for receiving the lower edges of the detector rods I8, and a :pair of upstanding ears I00 at each end.

For clamping the detector rods I8 in position, and for transmitting current thereto, there is provided at each end of the detector device I5 a bar clamp IN. The bar clamp extends between the ears IilIl of the holder 96, and is pivoted thereto by means of pivot studs I02.

Secured to the underside of the bar clamp IIlI is a conductor strip I04 provided with a terminal I05 for attachment of a conductor wire thereto, and insulated from said bar clamp by an insulating pad I06. Fastened to the underside of the bar clamp I0 I, and in conductive contact with the conductor strip I04, is a series of contact springs I07 shown in the form of bowed leaf springs secured to said clamp by screws I08, and each yieldably bearing against the upper edges of two adjoining contact bars 20.

For releasably locking the bar clamp IOI in position, there is provided a handle II5 having a cam I I6 at one end bearing against a wear washer II4 on said bar clamp. The cam H6 is of forked construction, and has pivoted thereto the upper end of a bolt II'I passing through a hole us in the bar clamp IN, and extending into a hole I20 in the bar holder 96. The lower end of the bolt II! has an elongated key I2I, and the hole I20 has a keyhole conformation corresponding to the shape of said key I2 I.

When the :bolt I I! is locked in position against axial withdrawal, the handle II5 may be turned about its pivot support with said bolt to cam the bar clamp I0! down tightly, the clamping pressure depending upon the angular position of said handle. When it is desired to lift the bar clamp NH about its pivot supports for adjustment or repair of the detector rods I8, the handle H is turned'to rotate the bolt I I1 until its key I2I is in registry with the keyhole I20. The bolt II! can then be lifted out of the bar holder 96.

For supporting the warp sheet, there are secured to opposite sides of the bar holder 96 guide bars I25. Additional members I26 between the guide bars I25 are provided for further supporting the sheet, and for separating the various rows or banks of drop Wires 22. These additional members are shown in the form of spacer bars removably retained in spring clips I27 and IE8 secured to the underside of the bar holder 96. The end clips I27 are shown in angular form secured in position by respective studs I30, while the intermediate slips I28 are U-shaped to engage adjoining spacer bars I26, and are secured in position by respective studs I3I passing through the base sections of respective clips.

While the invention has been described with particular reference to a specific embodiment, it is to be understood that it is not to be limited thereto, but is to be construed broadly and restricted solely by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a warp stop mechanism for a loom, an electric detector device comprising a plurality of detector rods, each including a pair of contact bars insulated from each other, and a holder for said rods at one end, comprising a base on which said rods are seated, a clamp pivoted to said base and adapted to overlie the ends of said rods, and cam means for locking said clamp with adjustable pressure against said rods, said cam means including a handle having a cam at one end adapted to bear against said clamp, and a bolt pivotally secured near one end of said cam, ass ing through said clamp, and having a releasable key engagement at its other end with said base.

2. In a warp stop mechanism for a loom, an electric detector device comprising a plurality of detector rods, each including a pair of contact bars insulated from each other, a holder for said rods at one end comprising a base on which said rods are seated, a clamp pivoted to said base and adapted to overlie the ends of said rods, and a REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 802,086 Ricketson et al Oct. 1'7, 1905 813,765 Baker Feb. 2'7, 1906 951,487 Regan Mar. 8, 1910 1,793,147 Wakefield Feb. 1'7, 1931 1,852,024 Payne Apr. 5, 1932 1,873,214 Payne Aug. 23, 1932 2,012,712 Dodge et a1 Aug. 2'7, 1935 2,160,776 Brown May 30, 1939 

